Peabody Energy has reported full-year EBITDA of US$1.29B, the second best results in its history.
Revenue totalled US$6.01B on sales of 243.6 mt.
"The strength of Peabody's global platform and strategies allowed us to deliver the second best year in our history in the face of a severe recession," said Peabody Energy chairman and chief executive officer Gregory H. Boyce.
"Our near-term focus remains serving the high-growth Pacific markets as we expand our Australian volumes and global trading activities."
The company reported that 2009 sales volumes totalled 243.6 mt compared with 255.0 mt in 2008, reflecting planned Powder River Basin (PRB) reductions partly offset by higher Midwestern volumes and the full operation of the low-cost El Segundo Mine in the Southwest.
Australian volumes totalled 22.3 mt, including 6.9 mt of metallurgical coal and 9.6 mt of seaborne thermal shipments. Growing customer demand led to a 37% increase in Australian coal volumes in the second half of 2009 over first half shipments.
Revenues for the full year totalled US$6.01B, led by an 11% rise in U.S. revenues per ton. 2008 revenues totalled $6.56B and benefited from higher pre-recession volumes and increased Australian realisations.
Second half 2009 revenues rose $430M over the first half, led by increased metallurgical coal sales to China and other Asian nations.
For 2010, Peabody said it was targeting total sales of 240 mt to 260 mt, including Trading and Brokerage volumes.
It expects Australian sales to increase to 26 mt to 28 mt, including 7.5 mt to 8.5 mt of metallurgical coal and 12.5 mt to 13.0 mt of thermal exports while U.S. volumes are expected to be 185 mt to 195 mt.
